Gun-supporting cylinder centered in art neck by springs connected internally of cylinder

ABSTRACT

Several embodiments of a novel electron-gun-supporting arrangement are illustrated. Generically, the gun-support arrangements provide for openings in an elongated cylinder which houses various aspects of the electron gun. Spring metal elements secured to the inner surface of the cylinder have upraised deformations to project through the holes in this cylinder and engage the inner surface of an elongated glass tube or neck portion which houses the electron gun in conventional cathoderay-type tubes.

United States Patent [72] Inventor BentGronlund Vista, Calif.

[2]} Appl. No. 774,731

[22] Filed Nov. 12, 1968 [45] Patented Apr. 6, 1971 {73] Assignee Hughes Aircraft Company Culver City, Calif.

[54] GUN-SUPPORTING CYLINDER CENTERED IN ART NECK BY SPRINGS CONNECTED INTERNALLY OF CYLINDER 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 313/288,

[51] lnt.Cl H0lj 1/96,

HOlj 19/50, HOlj 39/02 [50] Field oiSearch 313/92 (B), 69, 70, 65, 67, 292, 288, 85(5) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,452,620 11/1948 Weimer 313/65 3,038,094 6/1962 Ney 313/67 3,062,982 11/1962 Romano 313/292 3,265,919 8/1966 Manfredi et a1. 313/292X 3,322,990 5/1967 Fiore 313/288X 3,462,629 8/1969 Bell 3 l3/69X FOREIGN PATENTS 2,846,608 8/1958 Shrader 313/ 85 1,450,822 8/1966 France 313/853 Primary ExaminerRobert Segal ArtorneysJames K. Haskell and Robert H. Himes Patented April 6, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Bent Gronlund,

INVEMTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented April 6, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet Ben! Gronlund,

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

eurv-surrortrrive cviuinnaa crnvrsrtisn IN Alltll NlliCllf Elf @lPlltlfNGfi CONNECTED IINTIEIIRNAILILI! OF EWJIINIDIEIII BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a supporting arrangement for an electron gun within the neck ofa cathode ray tube or the like which provides rigid support and close tolerance location.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, many types of operating devices employ electron guns to act as a source of electrons for an electron beam for one purpose or another. A typical use application of an electron gun is in a cathode ray tube which characteristically has a forward enlarged aspect with a viewing screen and a necked-down rearward aspect defining an elongated comparatively small-diameter glass cylinder. characteristically, the necked-down glass cylinder houses the electron gun in such a location that any electron beam created may be controllably directed to the viewing face for impingement on a target in that area. Cathode ray tubes have many service applications. They are frequently employed in systems and may be used on aircraft, ships or other moving vehicles and in that environment are subject to, in many cases, extreme vibrations. For example, when used in systems employed in aircraft operations the tube may be subject to vibratory motion which can exceed times the force of gravity. Needless to say, the fragile structure that is in reality an electron gun would itself be damaged under such severe action and it has been found that the guns frequently are jarred into misalignment during such severe vibratory motions which results in faulty operation, if not complete inoperativeness, of the cathode ray tube.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an electron gun mounting arrangement which will support the gun within its tube neck environment with 0.000l of an inch of the axial center of the supporting neck.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an electrongun-supporting arrangement which will resist the severe vibratory stresses noted above minimizing gun misalignment or damage.

Specifically, the invention provides an elongated metallic cylinder which acts as the supporting element for the internal structure of an electron gun and has a plurality of apertures in the surface thereof. Spring elements are fixedly secured to the inner surface of the elongated cylinder and have deformed portions aligned with and projecting through the provided apertures. Spring elements, therefore, and particularly the deformed portions thereof, project from the outer surface of the cylindrical tube and pressure engage the necked-down glass tube which telescopically houses the entire gun arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an isometric, sectioned view of a typical prior art electron gun;

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through a typical outer cylinder of an electron gun and showing a first embodiment of the spring-type supporting arrangement disclosed in the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken along lines 3L3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 41 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of yet another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view taken from line 5-5 of FIG. t;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of yet another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view taken along lines I7 of FIG. a.

Describing the invention in detail and directing the attention to the FIGS., it will be understood that FIG. I is an isometric, partially sectioned view of a typical electron gun as disclosed in the prior art. An electron gun, typically, comprises an outer elongated metallic cylinder ll0 closed at its rear aspect by an insulating plate 112. Forwardly the plate 112, cathode structure, indicated generally at I4, is positioned, the cathode structure being in axial alignment with one or more electrodes as indicated generally at 16. At the forward aspect of the cylinder 10, beam-focusing structure indicated generally at I8, is provided. In view of the fact that a detailed explanation of the internal construction of an electron gun is not germane to a specific understanding of the herein disclosed invention, further details will not be given. However, the electron gun disclosed in FIG. I is also disclosed in detail and accompanied by a detailed examination in copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 695,006, filed Mar. 18, I967, and en titled Electron Gun Structure."

Directing attention to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be understood that a first embodiment of the herein disclosed invention is shown, FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the necked-down portion of a typical cathode ray tube and showing the electron gun per se in situ therein. The necked-down portion of the glass cathode ray tube is indicated by the numeral 20 and, as shown, is preferably cylindrical in configuration. An outer cylinder 21, similar to the outer cylinder lltl as disclosed in FIG. ll of a typical electron gun, is

shown disposed within the glass tube 20. It is noted, the metallic cylinder 21 is provided with a plurality of equally spaced openings in its surface as at 22, 22. The openings 22 may be of any configuration, as for example, the generally rectangular openings illustrated in FIG. 3. A plurality of spring elements are shown at 24, 24,. In view of the fact that each spring element is identical in configuration with the others, only one will be described. Each spring elements 24 comprises a body segment as deformed to fit the arc of the inner diameter of the cylinder 211. At an opposed end, each spring element 24 is outwardly deformed to provide an arcuate mounting head or boss 28. As a result of such deformation and by properly positioning each spring element 24 within the cylinder 21, the mounting head 2% is arranged to project through a related hole 22 so that its peak projects above the outer surface of the cylinder 2ll. Therefore, each mounting head 28% flexurally engages the inner surface of the glass cylinder 20 and, because of the equal angular disposition of the flexure springs 2% about the cylinder 2f, the electron gun carried within the cylinder 21 is automatically centered within the glass cylinder 20 and maintained in firm position therein. It should be specifically noted each spring element M is welded or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the cylinder 21 at or near the terminal point of its arcuate section 26. This is shown at numeral 30. Thus, each spring element 24 becomes, in effect, a cantilever spring and all will exert equal pressure and respond equally to pressure deformation, thus assuring centering of the electron gun within the glass neck at assembly and also provide for a reasonable amount of flexure induced by gun movement in response to vibratory environment. The springs, however, return the gun to a central position and cushion shock from the vibratory motion reaching the working aspects of each electron gun.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 there is shown an alternate embodiment of the invention with metallic cylinder 34 of an electron gun positioned within a glass cylinder of a cathode ray tube as at 26. In this embodiment the cylinder M is slotted, as at 38, in four places around the periphery thereof. As shown in FIG. 5, the slot 3% may be thin and elongated. Again, four equally angularly spaced slots 38 are disclosed. A pair of spring elements ltl, lt) are again positioned within the internal diameter of the cylinder 34 and have their central segment welded to the cylinder 34 as at 42, 42. The ends of each spring element are again outwardly deformed and positioned in alignment with one of the holes 38 to project therethrough and above the outer surface of the cylinder 34 to provide support of bosses M, AMI. The respective support bosses M flexurally engage the inner surface of the receiving glass tube 36, automatically centering the cylinder M within the tube as and providing a flexible mounting to withstand extreme vibratory action.

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 again comprising an electron gun cylinder 50 having a plurality of circular openings 52 formed in the periphery thereof and equally angularly spaced from each other. The entire arrangement is received within glass tube 54. A flexible cylindrical strip 56 having an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of cylinder 50 is telescopically positioned within cylinder 50 and is provided with a plurality of bosses 58, 58 each in alignment with one of the holes 52 and projecting therethrough. Cylindrical strip 56 is preferably formed of spring metal and, as in the prior embodiments, the bosses 58- flexibly engage the inner surface of the receiving glass tube 54 to provide automatic centering for the cylinder 50 and to cushion the cylinder and entire electron gun when the operative structure in which it is used is subject to severe vibratory motion.

It will be understood that in the typical embodiments described above, a sequence of four mounting arrangements were illustrated in each embodiment but it will be understood that three or more could be used, it only being necessary that the supporting bosses be so spaced around the receiving electron gun cylinder so as to provide uniform centering and supporting pressure between the receiving glass tube and the cylinder itself. Of course, a series of mounting arrangements displaced axially from each other along the electron gun cylinder is preferred. Also, any number of arrangements may be used as desired.

From the above discussion, it will be apparent that a simple yet efficient and effective mode of mounting an electron gun within the cylindrical glass envelope is disclosed. In addition to providing automatic gun centering within the glass tube. the arrangement accommodates the reduction of clearance between the glass tube and the electron gun cylinder as compared to certain prior art, thus providing for a more compact fit of the gun within the glass tube.

The invention as disclosed is by way of illustration and not limitation and may be modified all within the spirit and scope thereof.

lclaim:

1. In a mounting arrangement for an electron gun within the neck portion of the envelope of a cathode ray tube:

the combination of a metallic supporting cylinder forming the outer aspects of said electron gun adapted to be inserted into said neck portion of said envelope;

an even number of no less than four spaced apertures formed in the peripheral surface of said supporting cylinder along a circumference thereof and symmetrical about at least one diameter of said circumference; and

flexure spring means constituting one-half said even number of spring elements disposed inside said metallic supporting cylinder along said circumference, said flexure spring means having deformed bosses on opposed ends thereof projecting through adjacent apertures in said metallic supporting cylinder to flcxurally engage the inner surface of said neck portion of said envelope, a central segment of each spring element being secured to the inner surface of said metallic supporting cylinder, thereby to provide automatic centering of said metallic supporting cylinder within said neck portion of said envelope.

2 In a mounting arrangement for an electron gun within the neck portion of the envelope of a cathode ray tube:

the combination of a metallic supporting cylinder forming the outer aspects of said electron gun adapted to be inserted into said neck portion of said envelope;

no less than three spaced apertures formed in the peripheral surface of said supporting cylinder along a circumference thereof and symmetrical about at least one diameter of said circumference; and

flexure spring means disposed inside said metallic supporting cylinder along said circumference, said flexure spring means comprising a generally cylindrical spring strip telescopically received within said metallic supporting cylinder and having a plurality of, supporting bosses t ereon in alignment wit and pro ecting through said apertures formed in said metallic supporting cylinder, said bosses flexurally engaging the inner surface of said neck portion to centrally support said metallic supporting cylinder therein in substantial axis alignment therewith. 

1. In a mounting arrangement for an electron gun within the neck portion of the envelope of a cathode ray tube: the combination of a metallic supporting cylinder forming the outer aspects of said electron gun adapted to be inserted into said neck portion of said envelope; an even number of no less than four spaced apertures formed in the peripheral surface of said supporting cylinder along a circumference thereof and symmetrical about at least one diameter of said circumferenCe; and flexure spring means constituting one-half said even number of spring elements disposed inside said metallic supporting cylinder along said circumference, said flexure spring means having deformed bosses on opposed ends thereof projecting through adjacent apertures in said metallic supporting cylinder to flexurally engage the inner surface of said neck portion of said envelope, a central segment of each spring element being secured to the inner surface of said metallic supporting cylinder, thereby to provide automatic centering of said metallic supporting cylinder within said neck portion of said envelope. CM,2Mounting arrangement for an electron gun within the neck portion of the envelope of a cathode ray tube: the combination of a metallic supporting cylinder forming the outer aspects of said electron gun adapted to be inserted into said neck portion of said envelope; no less than three spaced apertures formed in the peripheral surface of said supporting cylinder along a circumference thereof and symmetrical about at least one diameter of said circumference; and flexure spring means disposed inside said metallic supporting cylinder along said circumference, said flexure spring means comprising a generally cylindrical spring strip telescopically received within said metallic supporting cylinder and having a plurality of supporting bosses thereon in alignment with and projecting through said apertures formed in said metallic supporting cylinder, said bosses flexurally engaging the inner surface of said neck portion to centrally support said metallic supporting cylinder therein in substantial axis alignment therewith. 